•Gov. Mbah tasks FG on new road maintenance model
•Urges FG to concession roads to states
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Four persons escaped death yesterday when the bridge across the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway at the New Artisan Market in Enugu state capital, collapsed.
The lucky survivours of the incident, two lorry drivers,and two conductors,were in their Lorries on the bridge,conveying goods when the bridge collapsed,but they escaped unhurt though their vehicles were badly damaged.
Consequently, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, has called for a new road maintenance model to guarantee a better condition and longevity of Nigerian roads, regretting that the current model had failed woefully.
Mbah, who was fielding questions from Journalists after first-hand inspection of the scene of the disaster, thanked God that no life was lost despite the magnitude of the incident, but urged the Federal Government to consider a concession of all the federal roads in each state to the state governments for proper maintenance in conjunction with the private sector.
The incident caused serious difficulties for vehicles, especially big lorries, as they sourced alternative routes to bypass the scene of the incident as the debris of the collapsed bridge blocked one lane of the dual carriageway.
According to a witness, Ibrahim, an artisan that comes to the area to wait for those that would hire him for daily job, the incident happened in the morning when artisans had not come out for the day’s job seeking.
He said,“thank God this happened in the morning and on Monday when people do not come out early as much, if not we would have had so many casualties because artisans used to flood all the places.
“I came out very early to meet up with an appointment with a contractor. Two lorries carrying goods were crossing on the flyover when it collapsed, but God helped the drivers and conductors they did not die, they came out really injured.”
Another artisan, Chidi, said that the bridge had signs of weakness as it had many potholes, adding that if there were still officials in the federal Ministry of Works, who monitor the roads, they would have spotted it out before it got to this stage of collapse.”
Meanwhile, Security operatives, officials of the Federal and Enugu State Ministries of Works, Federal Road Maintenance Agency,and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC),were at the scene to access the situation as well as to assist the road users plying the alternative routes.
Residents of estates in the area: Goshen Estate; Premier Layout, worshippers at the Dunamis Church, and traders at the New Artisan market, who use the bridge regularly have called on the government and works ministry to do something quickly to give them alternative route as the collapsed building has already started building up traffic.
Mbah who was apparently sad at the maintenance model in the country said, “I think the question should be whether the current model of federal road maintenance is working or not; and I think that is the bigger question that we must ask.
“Today, we are here witnessing a tragedy that has just occurred. We are fortunate enough that no life was lost, but this could have been prevented entirely. So, the people can no longer ply this route because of this tragedy. This shows clearly that we do not have a sound federal road maintenance model.
“The bridge collapse didn’t just happen. These threats could have been identified if we had routine or regular maintenance.
“Perhaps the way to go is to find a way to concession these roads to the states. The states need to take charge of the roads within their domains and there has to be a conversation around the funding models”.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Gerald Otiji, in a statement advised commuters to use Nza Street,through New Haven or ply Ogui Road and Abakaliki Road to their various destinations,while the authorities would come up with measures for immediate repairs on the failed section of the bridge.